Improvement in buckles



` A. B. WOODARD.

BUCKLES.

Patented Aug.15,1876.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALONZO B. WOODARD, OF HORNELLSVILLE, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN BUCKLES.

Speoiiication forming part of Letters Patent No. 181,022, dated August 15, 1876; application filed January 28, 1876.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALONZO B. WooDARD, of Hornellsville, in the county of Steuben and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buckle for Connecting Straps on Harness, of which the following is a specilication:

This invention relates to certain improvelments in the construction ot' buckles for various purposes 5 and it consists in a buckle formed in two parts detachable one from the other, one part being permanently attached to one end of the strap, and provided with a recess and spring-catch, the other part being provided with a tongue to hold the other end of the strap, and a hook at one end to engage in a slot at one end of the recess, and a shoulder at the other end to engage under the spring-catch, which projects over the other end ot' said recess when said spring-catch is in its normal position, as more fully hereinafter described.

In the drawing, Figure 1 represents a sectional View ot' my improvement, and Fig. 2 a perspective view of the parts detached.

The letter A represents a frame or plate of suitable shape, constructed of metal or other suitable material, and secured at its rear end to one end of the strap, by means of a rivet, B, or in any other convenient ina-nner. The frame or plate A is provided with a recess, G, on the top, the walls of said recess being' slightly raised at the rear end, upon the top of which is secured a sliding plate, D, confined thereon by means of a rivet, E, setting through a longitudinal slot, F, in said plate, the adjoining edges of the two plates being beveled so as to form a guide for the plate D. The plate D is provided with a thumb-piece, G, by means of which it can be retracted when necessary, and in front on the lower side With a downwardly-projecting ledge, H, which sets over a longitudinal guide, I, formed at the bottom of the recess, G, an open slot being formed in said ledge for the purpose. In the recess C, at the rear ot' the ledge H, two spiral springs, K, are secured, their front ends bearing against the rear wallet' the recess. Said springs serve to keep the plate D iu its normal position for the purpose of securing the other portion of the buckle in place when in position, as will be hereinafter explained.

The front edge of the plate D is provided with a projection, L, beveled in front, to serve as a guide in inserting the buckle, and as a means of automatically pushing back the plate by the act of inserting the other portion of the buckle. The letter M represents the other portion of the buckle, consisting ot' an open frame, provided with a transverse bar, N. About midway between its two ends, on the top ot' said frame, from the under side of the said bar, extends the tongue O projecting downwardly, and setting in a slot, P, in the recess, C, when in position. The front end ot said frame is provided with a downwardly and backwardly projecting curved lug, It, which is adapted to engage in a slot, S, formed in the end of the plate A, to secure the said frame M at its rear end to the front end of said plate A, when said frame M is in place. The front end ot' the frame M is provided with a shoulder', T, extending transversely across the same, which is adapted to fall under the forward end of the plate D when the frame is in place, for the purpose of locking the two parts together.

The operation of my improved buckle is as follows: The free end of the strap is provided with eyelets, as usual. The free end ot' the strap is passed into the rear end of the frame M, and the desired eyelet passed over the longer, and the projecting end of the strap is carried upward and out ot' the open front end of said frame. The hook at the rear end of said frame is then set into the slot at the end of the front end of the plate A, and the frame is then brought down into the recess O, and locked under the end of the plate D, by which the two parts are tirmly locked together.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A buckle, consisting ot the parts A M, the part A having the slots P S, and the thumblatch D, and the part M, having the cross-bar N, stud O, shoulder T, and lug R, adapted to operate substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of the subscribing witnesses.

ALONZO B. WOODARD.

Witnesses:

FRANK CLAUDY, Jos. L. Goor/rss. 

